Giving Thanks And Chopping Trees

Well, I sure hope you ALL had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Our Thanksgiving was wonderful! My son was off from school the entire week and you better believe we filled up our time with lovely holiday activities. We took our annual Christmas adventure to see ICE at the Gaylord Texan and take in some FUN indoor snow-tubing! My mom and I take my two babes and my sweet niece for a "stay-cation" during the Thanksgiving break. We have made some wonderful and lasting memories the past couple of years and intend to keep this tradition going. It is a GREAT way to really get in that holiday spirit!!! Of course, by the end of it we are completely worn out. Three kids to two adults is work! Being out numbered to the little people can get cRAzy...quick. Gotta keep those little stinkers under control...We will just call it controlled chaos!

Also, getting all 3 to smile for a picture is almost impossible. But aren't they adorable?!

Another fabulous thing that made my Thanksgiving even sweeter was having my California (newly relocated to TX) family home! It's been probably more than a decade since they have been in Texas for a holiday. So this was EXTRA special. We planned a day of visiting, crafting, gun shooting (remember we are country folk 'round here), baking, laughing, mimosas, and more baking. It was fabulous, Darling! Just fabulous!

Our Thanksgiving "Selfie"

The following weekend my little family of 4 ventured out to find us a Christmas Tree. I decided that I wanted a REAL authentic Christmas tree this year. My husband would lovingly roll his eyes and mumble (sweet nothing's, I'm sure) under his breath. I am sure he was thinking..."Great! More work for me." LOL

And to be honest, he was kinda...maybe a little...DONT TELL HIM I said this...

right...

We found this incredibly lovely tree farm way out in the boonies. Even further out than we already are. We were driving down a dirt road deeper and deeper into nothingness and I will admit I was a little apprehensive. Google are you driving us into the zombie apocalypse?

But alas, we arrived. And what do you know...it was lovely. A fire pit with cute little logs for sitting to roast marshmallows. Picnic tables for picnicking if you so pleased. And then a tractor hooked to a trailer to pull you out into a forest of sweet smelling Christmas trees. They arm you with a cute (bahahaha) little hand saw and tell you to pick whichever one tickles your fancy. And then (here comes the best part) you get to cut it down with your own bare hands! This is where my husband may have mumbled a few "I told ya so" comments. And I just ignored them in my excitement and pure joy to see my handsome honey chop or saw, for a better word, down a tree. Let me just say, he is one handsome lumberjack. Our kids were in tree heaven. Running in and out of these giants shouting "This ONE! Wait, no, this one! Over here! Pick this one, Dad!"

Heading out to find the one!

I was on the prowl for one that would actually fit in our house. About 8 foot. But then...I saw the most perfect tree. My husband was standing in front of it, glaring up to the top. He was as mesmerized as I was. You see I knew that getting a real tree meant that it would not be my perfect Martha Stewart one purchased via Home Depot a few years ago. I knew it meant settling for one that was God-made and had a few flaws... for that's what gave it character and made it special. But seeing this tree. This God- made masterpiece, was magical. That tree had grown from the ground? It was perfectly round on all sides. Just as perfectly green, as any artificial tree I had ever seen. But so much more beautiful. And incredibly fragrant. We ushered the kids over and asked them if this tree was the "one". They both agreed it was in fact, fantastic. I checked the tag to see how tall it was. Because it was kinda ginormous.

Tadahhh!!!

10 foot. Uh oh. That's too big. But then I remember a seasoned real Christmas tree veteran said you will probably trim quite a bit off of the bottom. So we just went with it. I mean it was PERFECT, remember?

I think his face says it all...

It didn't take long before my lumberjack husband sawed that baby down. And then he drug it about a football field back to the trailer. Bahahahah With the kids chasing behind. It was comical. We drove back around to the barn and they kindly wrapped up our tree and sent us on our way. All of us were beaming with excitement. What a fun and enjoyable experience. I will cherish it forever.

The husband and man-child hard at work.

Told ya he was a handsome lumberjack!

A few things we learned along the way:

1. Put your tree in water ASAP. It will be pretty thirsty. It's had an eventful day. 

2. Buy tree stand. Gotta have something to put the tree in! 

3. Trim off the desired amount from the bottom. Don't take it off of the top. Fo reals... 

4. We used LED lights because they don't get hot to the touch. (We are trying to avoid all safety hazards.) 

5. And water that pretty thing every single day. Definitely don't want it drying out. Bad. Bad. Bad. 

Once we placed it in the stand, I went around a trimmed any unruly limbs and sticks. But left it mostly in it's natural state. For two reasons: I didn't know what the hek I was doing. And I didn't want to jack it up!  

If you are semi-local to me you MUST go check out the Ivanhoe Christmas Tree Farm in Ivanhoe, TX.  People come from the metroplex every year! Entire neighborhoods carpool up to find their perfect tree! Yes, it will feel like your driving into the woods never to return, but trust me...it is SO WORTH IT!

Just beautiful! 

Happy Tree Chopping!